WomenSafe in Geauga County marks 35 years of helping those affected by domestic violence

Michael Allen Blair/MBlair@News-Herald.com
Angela, 15, a survivor of domestic violence, talks about how WomenSafe's art therapy program has benefited her.

Large windows in the art therapy room at Geauga County’s domestic violence shelter allow in lots of natural light, enabling visitors to get an eyeful of brightly colored paintings and other client creations.
“I think the biggest thing that people are surprised about here is the joy that’s in the art,” said Jen Lanza-Linn, counselor and art therapist.
She pointed out a rectangular-shaped space on the floor delineated by tape.
“That’s the dance zone,” she said. “We play dance music. … There’s a lot of laughter and really good connection. There’s safety in the room, and it develops our laughter coping skills.”WomenSafe has come a long way from the days when its services consisted of a husband-wife team — Charlie and Betsy Poutasse — taking calls in the night from frantic women seeking safe haven.
“They started erroneously, taking women into their own home, and they soon realized that was not a good plan,” said Newbury Township resident Carol Lee, among the first to answer a small newspaper advertisement for volunteers to start a battered women’s shelter in 1980.
Lee, the lone living member of the original group in the area, ended up serving WomenSafe the better part of three decades.
“I (still) tell people to call the number if they need it, and a lot of people need it,” she said.

Giving women a voice
WomenSafe grew out of a grassroots effort in 1979, when some Chardon area women met to educate other women on issues from financial planning to child care.
However, the recurring theme at these meetings was relationship problems, now known as domestic violence or intimate partner violence.
Out of this group, a hotline was established and, from there, a shelter and programs grew. The agency was incorporated and became a certified nonprofit in 1983.
The first shelter was in a rent-free apartment attached to the old Geauga County Sheriff’s Office. To the disbelief of local service providers, including the sheriff, WomenSafe wasn’t able to house all of those needing help.
“They asked us to find other accommodations and we went into ‘hiding in plain sight’ on Chardon Square, right next door to the library,” Lee said. “We liked it there and we had a fine crew of staff and volunteers. … Then it got to be too small.”
In 1986, WomenSafe purchased a home around the corner on South Hambden Street. Many of the counseling and support services had to be provided off-site.
In October 2007, WomenSafe began a new chapter with the opening of The Green House, a 14,000-square-foot disclosed facility in Munson Township that houses not only the shelter, but also all of the administrative offices and donation storage. Counseling and outreach services can be provided on-site.
WomenSafe expanded to offer outreach and shelter services on-site to male victims and individuals with physical limitations.
The Green House averages about 20 residents on any given night.
“Throughout all the years I was with WomenSafe, I met the nicest people in the world,” Lee said. “Each one brought something special of their own. It’s just amazing the sources of goodness that WomenSafe seems to attract.”

Continuum of care
According to its 2013 annual report, the agency exceeded its goals with regard to its emergency shelter, COPEline, clinical programming, art therapy, advocacy, aftercare and community education services.
Last year, more than 5,200 emergency shelter days were provided to individuals fleeing from domestic violence. In addition, more than 3,300 calls were handled by trained advocates and volunteers on the COPEline, a 24-hour support and crisis management service.
In addition to meeting immediate needs for safety and security, WomenSafe now also helps clients heal.
Angela, 15, participates in the art therapy program to deal with past trauma. She is relaxed, talkative and smiling when she refers to art therapist Lanza-Linn as her “art mama.”
“The art really helps me when it comes to getting my emotions out,” Angela said.
Executive Director Shayna L. Jackson recalls another success story: A woman who came to the shelter on multiple occasions struggled with numerous health problems and feared she couldn’t live on her own.
“Each time she came, she gained a little more education about domestic violence and she began to feel that she had the support she needed to safely leave,” Jackson said. “On the last time she was here, she stayed for nearly four months. WomenSafe staff assisted her in gaining access to appropriate medical professionals and to develop a support system of friends and safe family members. She found an apartment and continues to live independently.
“When I spoke with her, she stated that when she was in the violent relationship, she knew that WomenSafe was always her lifeline. That’s what we are, a lifeline for survivors of domestic violence. And that is what I continue to be most proud of.”

The secret to success
WomenSafe has been able to answer growing requests for service amid trying financial times for many such agencies. Part of the reason is its diversified funding sources and continuing collaborations with other service providers.
“Our community support is unprecedented and also a critical variable in our success,” said Andrea R. Gutka, operations director/public relations coordinator.
The length of stay has increased in the last decade from two weeks to an average of 45 days.
“I believe this is attributed to the additional barriers that clients have had to endure — financial constraints, employment availability, affordable housing, transportation and greater mental health needs,” she said.
One goal is to continue providing free services. WomenSafe doesn’t take insurance, regardless of a client’s income, made possible by community and financial support via grants, fundraisers, United Way, donations, Friends of WomenSafe, and the Resale Shoppe in Chester Township.
Revenue from the shop enabled the shelter to meet the more than 60 percent increase in demand for shelter in 2013. The store also provides awareness for the cause.
“We’re lucky,” Gutka said. “Our own children see that we are helping others heal and other children feel safe. There is nothing more rewarding than when your cell phone rings at 2 a.m. and … my kids open their eyes for a minute and often say, ‘Glad you answered the phone, Mom; someone is safe now.’ ”
To get help, call the COPEline at 888-285-5665. For more information, call 440-286-7154 or visit womensafe.org.